Hisense U7SG TV Review: Great Picture Quality Without Breaking the Bank

The Hisense U7SG is a mid-range television that brings fancy picture technology to an affordable price. WIRED tested it carefully and found it does a lot of things right, though it has some limitations like any product at this price point.

How the Picture Works

The U7SG uses something called mini-LED backlighting. Think of it like this: traditional TVs have a light source behind the screen that's always on. The mini-LED version has hundreds of tiny lights instead of just a few big ones. This means different parts of the screen can be brighter or darker independently.

Why does this matter? It helps with black levels. One problem with regular TV screens is that blacks look grayish instead of truly black. Having more tiny lights helps fix this problem because the system can turn off specific lights in the dark areas of the picture while keeping other areas bright.

The TV displays HDR content, which means High Dynamic Range. This is fancy video format used on streaming services and Blu-ray discs. HDR shows more brightness levels and more colors than regular video. The U7SG handles all the major HDR types, so it works with Netflix, Disney+, and other popular services.

The TV also gets very bright. This is helpful if you watch TV in a bright room during the day, because bright images are easier to see with sunlight in the room.

How It Actually Performs

Compared to cheaper TVs with simple LED backlighting, this one handles fast motion better. If you watch sports or play video games, you'll notice less blurring when things move quickly.

Speaking of gaming, the TV works great for modern gaming consoles. It has fast response times (the TV quickly shows what's happening) and supports gaming features like variable refresh rate. If you're a competitive gamer, this TV will keep up with you.

The colors look good straight out of the box. You don't need to spend hours adjusting settings to get a nice picture. The TV also handles old movies and shows (lower resolution videos) pretty well, using software to make them look better without making them look strange.

Built-In Apps and Streaming

The TV runs Google TV, which means you can stream from all the big services: Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, Prime Video, and more. The remote has buttons for the most popular apps, and it has a microphone for voice commands.

The TV connects to the internet in two ways: wireless (Wi-Fi 6, which is fast) or with an ethernet cable. It has multiple HDMI ports that work with high-quality video from game consoles or streaming boxes.

What You're Trading Off for the Price

Remember, this TV costs less than premium models. That means some corners were cut:

The mini-LED system, while good, doesn't have as many tiny lights as expensive Samsung or Sony TVs. This can sometimes cause a glowing effect around bright objects on dark backgrounds (called blooming).

The plastic is basic plastic, not fancy materials. The stand is simple with limited adjustment. You can't move it around as much as you could with a pricier TV.

The speakers are fine for casual watching, but if you love great sound, you'll probably want to add an external soundbar.

The picture processing handles normal TV just fine, but premium TVs can make unusual or challenging content look better.

Why This Matters

A few years ago, mini-LED technology only existed in expensive TVs. Now it's showing up in mid-range TVs like this one. This happens a lot with TV tech: fancy features start expensive, but as manufacturers get better at making them, the price drops.

This same thing happened with 4K resolution and HDR support. They both started as premium features and are now common.

Final Thoughts

The Hisense U7SG is a smart choice if you want a TV with modern picture technology that doesn't cost a fortune. You get better contrast and brightness than basic LED TVs. It works with all your streaming apps and gaming consoles.

The catch is that it's not built like a luxury product, and the picture processing isn't as advanced as pricier models. But if great picture quality is what matters most to you, and you don't mind basic materials, this is good value for your money.